Dry hop/carbonate simultaneously?

[kombat]

I've been playing with my process for a while now, and on my latest batch of pale ale, I force carbed with CO2 at the same time I was doing the dry hop. I think it turned out fantastic, and I was just wondering if anyone else has done this.

Basically, I've been trying to minimize my beer's exposure to oxygen post-fermentation. To that end, after fermentation winds down, I've been racking to a keg and cold crashing under pressure to eliminate oxygen "suck back" that occurs when cold-crashing in a carboy. After chilling for a couple of days, I depressurize, pop the top, dump in the gelatin, reseal, purge, and repressurize back to 10 psi.

After 3-4 more days of sitting in the fridge under 10 psi, letting the gelatin work, I then hook up a liquid-to-liquid jumper to an empty keg and "push" the beer to the fresh keg using CO2, leaving behind the sediment the gelatin pulled down.

Then I let this new keg warm back up to room temperature, drop in a hop sock (boiled, of course) with the hops, seal it up, purge, and leave it under 30 psi at room temperature. The result is that I'm force-carbing and dry-hopping at the same time.

The last (and only, so far) batch I did this with, after a week of dry hopping, I vented, opened the lid, removed the hop sock, resealed, purged, and put back in the fridge under 10 psi. The beer was already pretty much fully carbed from the combination of being under pressure during cold-crashing and gelatin, and dry hopping. I was drinking it the next day, and let me tell you, it's sublime. It's incredibly fresh.

Has anyone else tried this kind of a schedule? Are they any pitfalls I should watch out for, or is this a valid way to shorten up the production schedule?

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I always start carbing when dry hopping in a keg. Why wait? I'm not taking the bag out until the keg kicks, and the keg will always be cold anyways after the first few days of the start of dry hopping.

Three days at room temp, then in the keezer it goes... carbing the whole time.

 

[Natdavis777]

How long does it take warm beer to carb @ 30psi? I know when its chilled, I cant get it to where I need it in 24 hours. Just curious the timeframe for unchilled

 

[misled_drummer]

Seems like a lot of work. I don't understand why you would pitch the gelatin so early, as hop particles from the sock could still escape later and cloud your beer.

I think you can do all of this without have to transfer to a second keg. I would transfer to a keg, throw in hop sock, purge with co2 and dry hop at room temperature. After your dry hop, remove sock, begin force carb at keezer temp, and the next day open the lid and pitch your gelatin.

The first 1-2 pints will get rid of the gelatin residue.

I personally like dry hopping without a sack, but I've used this method when "dry hopping" with fruit, such as when I made a Mango Habanero IPA.

 

[RM-MN]

Seems like a lot of work. I don't understand why you would pitch the gelatin so early, as hop particles from the sock could still escape later and cloud your beer.

I think you can do all of this without have to transfer to a second keg. I would transfer to a keg, throw in hop sock, purge with co2 and dry hop at room temperature. After your dry hop, remove sock, begin force carb at keezer temp, and the next day open the lid and pitch your gelatin.

The first 1-2 pints will get rid of the gelatin residue.

I personally like dry hopping without a sack, but I've used this method when "dry hopping" with fruit, such as when I made a Mango Habanero IPA.

Mac and Jack's brewery in Washington state have special kegs made that have a cork piece glued to a removable bung and they staple a bag of hops to that where it stays until the keg comes back for refill. I don't think you need to remove the hops unless it takes a long time to empty your keg.

 

[misled_drummer]

Mac and Jack's brewery in Washington state have special kegs made that have a cork piece glued to a removable bung and they staple a bag of hops to that where it stays until the keg comes back for refill. I don't think you need to remove the hops unless it takes a long time to empty your keg.

My kegs can sit for a few months so I would be worried about imparting grassy flavors. Removing the sack after regular dry hop schedule is complete I think ensures against this happening.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

My kegs can sit for a few months so I would be worried about imparting grassy flavors. Removing the sack after regular dry hop schedule is complete I think ensures against this happening.

As long as you keep the keg cold, it'll be fine for months. It'll also retain that dry hop awesomeness longer.